REPTILIA. 257 



Maui, one of the Sandwich Islands. This genus, thus far represented by a 

 single species, Aneides luguhris, has much the form and size of Plethodon 

 glutinosus, but the tail is not so long. Head broader than body, tapering 

 anteriorly. Mouth opening from behind the eyes, outline undulating as in 

 the alligator, and the teeth of the jaws very large, compressed, and sharp, 

 the lower the larger, and all apparently unattached to the bone, but united 

 to the gum, and admitting of a depression backward. The sphenoidal 

 teeth are in a single close-set patch. The tongue is large, cordiform, and 

 attached along the median line. Its place is, perhaps, between Plethodon 

 and Des?nognathus, the peculiar ligament of the latter even appearing 

 present. 



The great interest felt by the naturalist in the order Batrachia urodela, 

 has caused us to dwell more at length upon these animals than we shall 

 upon those which succeed it in the series. The next in regular order is 

 that of Batrachia anoura. As already remarked, its most conspicuous 

 external character is the absence of a tail in the adult, and the presence of 

 four legs, the posterior the longest. The skull is very short and broad. 

 The lower jaw is generally without teeth, which also are never found in 

 the sphenoid, but occur almost always in the divided vomer. The ver- 

 tebral column consists of but few bones, rarely more than eight. The 

 articulations are transversely convex behind, and vertically concave before ; 

 the spinous processes are mostly wanting ; the transverse processes are 

 well developed, and only occasionally are there rudiments of cartilaginous 

 ribs attached. The sternum is present, sometimes cartilaginous in part, 

 and terminates behind by a broad xiphoid cartilage. The posterior ver- 

 tebrae are replaced by a long bone situated in the middle between the two 

 parallel ilia, whose posterior portion, embracing the ischium and pubes, are 

 combined into a vertical plate with a glenoid cavity on each side, and so 

 close together as almost to constitute a perforation in the compressed 

 bone : these sockets receive the heads of the tibiae. 



The structure of the tongue affords a convenient opportunity of dividing 

 the anourous batrachians into two sub-orders, Phaneroglossa with a 

 distinct tongue, and Phrynaglossa without a tongue ; the latter embracing 

 a very small number of species. Considering, first, the Phaneroglossa, we 

 find it divisible into three families : the Ranidce, with teeth in the upper 

 jaw, and the ends of the toes simple ; the HyladcB, with teeth in the upper 

 jaw, and the ends of the toes dilated into sucker-like disks ; and Bufonidce, 

 with no teeth around the upper jaw. 



The generic characters of the first family are derived from the varying^ 

 shape of the tongue, from the greater or less extent and occasional absence 

 of the external tympanum, and the number and arrangement of the vomerine 

 teeth. Species of this family, as of the two others, are found in all quarters 

 of the globe, not confined, like the iirodela, to the more temperate regions. 

 The true Ranidce are, more or less, inhabitants of water or its vicinity, 

 feeding on aquatic insects, and other animals, which they devour with 

 great voracity. The flesh is much esteemed, especially that of the hind 

 legs, and the animals are caught for the table in nets or by hooks. The 



4G1 



